Arkam Asylum

From the journals of Amadeus Arkham- Arkham Asylum a serious house on serious earth 25th anniversary edition

INT. ARKHAM HOUSE- PAST 1901

V.0.:"In the years following my father's death, I think it is to say that the house became my whole world. During the time of my mother's illness the house seemed so vast, simply air. That by comparison I felt like a cloud of dust moved by the ghosts that roam the corridors."

The scene opens with a little boy standing at the bottom of the stair case holding a tray of what looks to be toast and a coffee. CLOSE UP SHOT of the coffee shaking within the cup, PAN UP to the young boy's face. His expression is frightful as he slowly creeps up the stairs to reveal patent leather shoes that seem to have looked shiny and clean at one point but now they are coated with a layer of dust and scuffed past the point of recognition.

A curious face appears from the wall to loom over the boy only for the slightest moment. The boy does not see the face as he passes by it.

CUT TO a close up shot of the boy's hand on the door handle. Slowly creaking it open to reveal his ill mother sitting straight up in bed.

AMADEUS ARKHAM Mother? Mother? It's me. I've brought you some thing to eat

She looks at him blankly and begins to smile maniacally.

AMADEUS ARKHAM Please. I think you should try to eat some of this

The mother closes her eyes to reveal black drawings across her eyelids. It is difficult to make out what it is.

MOTHER

Mmf, eaten.

As she begins to speak beetles begin to crawl from her mouth. Cascading from her chin down to the bed.

MOTHER

I've eaten! I'VE EATEN!

AMADEUS drops the tray, CLOSE UP shot of the coffee spilling on the floor. He begins to run down the corridors until he is stopped by a blinding light the coats the screen

V.O. (continued):"That was when I felt truly alone. Many years later I became aware of the significance of the beetle as a symbol of rebirth, I realized that she was simply trying to protect herself from something in the only way that made sense to her. But even then, I think that I understood that my mother HAD been born again, into the other world. A world of fantoms and portents, of magic and terror and mysterious symbols."

EXT. ARKHAM HOUSE 1920

Older version of AMADEUS ARKHAM stands alone over his mothers grave in front of the house. Her body rests underground as a grave stone sit atop where her head rests. CUT TO close up shot to show the grave stone reading

Elizabeth Arkham 1853-1920

EXT. METROPOLIS STATE PENITENTIARY

AMADEUS is wearing a long trench coat and a hat as he runs through the rain. The building is tall and dark with only slits of windows to let light in. It is made out of straight concrete.

AMADEUS runs to the barbed wire fence with his badge in his hand that reads, "Dr. Amadeus Arkham, Psychiatrist". After stepping in a large puddle he is flustered as he gets to the gate. He stops short of breath under an enclosed space.

A security guard looks at him with half a smile.

AMADEUS ARKHAM

Hi, Dr Arkham.

The security guard takes the badge from the little opening under the glass between them. Gives it a once over.

SECURITY GUARD

Who are you seeing?

AMADEUS ARKHAM Oh yeah sorry, Martin Hawkins.

SECURITY GUARD Ah, "Mad Dog" Hawkins. Good luck

He says as he chuckles behind the glass. CLOSE UP shot of his hand pressing the buzzer. WIDE ANGLE SHOT of the gates sliding open, AMADEUS runs through the gates back out into the rain.

INT. METROPOLIS STATE PENITENTIARY ROOM 217

AMADEUS places his brief case on the desk. HAWKINS is sitting alone in the middle of the room chained to the floor. There is about 3 lights total in the dimly lit room, one sways side to side quietly flickering as the rain hit the roof of the building. You can hear faint banging and screeching though the walls from the other patients.

The two begin to talk inaudibly, the camera circles them both as they seem deep in discussion. Once the camera is behind AMADEUS' head the doctor begins to complete the same rotation as the camera

AMADEUS ARKHAM

Tell me about your father...

HAWKINS

He was a dirty old bastard, any time he had a bad day he would come home and take it out on me. I could deal with the beatings but as soon as my mother died he got worse. He spiralled out of control and fulfilled his sexual desires with me instead. At least when my mother was around she could take the brunt of that but with her gone I was it.

AMADEUS ARKHAM

And your victims, why would you destroy only the face and sexual organs of them?

HAWKINS looks at him with a sad groan. Then the edges of his mouth creep up to a smile.

HAWKINS It was the virgin Mary's idea. (beat) She says its the best way to stop dirty sluts from spreading their disease.

AMADEUS ARKHAM

And your arms, why?

CUT TO close up shot of the scars that coat HAWKIN'S arms. He begins to cry.

HAWKINS Just to feel... Just to feel something.

Voice over as the camera stays fixed on HAWKIN'S face slowly zooming in. V.O. AMADEUS: How many more like him must there be? Men whose only crime is mental illness, trapped in the penal system with no hope of treatment. My course is clear. That night I tell my dear Constance and little Harriet that we will shortly be returning to my family home in Gotham city. There to begin its conversion into a facility of treatment for the mentally ill.

GOTHAM PRESENT DAY- PRESENT DAY.

The scene opens with an over head shot facing down upon Gotham city. It pans over the bat signal in the sky. Cut to the sidewalk and a building what we can only assume is the state department. Feet land with a thud on the side walk it is BATMAN.

BATMAN

Sorry I'm late commissioner,

problems out of town. What's up?

COMMISSIONER There's been a riot at Arkham Asylum.The inmates seized control of the building early this morning. We don't know how it happened. They are holding the Arkham staff hostage making all kinds of crazy demands. We had to send ion furniture store dummies, food, clothing...

BATMAN And?

COMMISSIONER

They say there is only one final demand. Thank god.

They've been waiting to talk to you personally

BATMAN I see.

COMMISSIONER

It's the joker...

on the phone...

BATMAN

Joker, Joker is that you?

JOKER

Well hello big boy!

BATMAN Don't waste my time, Joker. Just tell me what you want

JOKER Oh, I think you can guess... We want YOU. In here,

with us in the MADHOUSE where you belong!

BATMAN And.. what if I say no?

Scratching sounds in the background

JOKER

Well... we have so many friends here sweetheart. Say hello to Pearl.

Pearl whimpering in the background.

JOKER

Such a cry baby isn't she?

Scratching sounds continue.

JOKER

Pearl, here, is 19 years old. She just started work in the kitchens here to earn some extra money. Pearl wants to be an artist, don't you pearl darling?

Pearl begins to cry louder.

JOKER

She just drew me the most beautiful house. She drew it with this pencil. The one I've just sharpened! Open your eyes wide, Pearl! Beautiful. Blue. Oh.

BATMAN

Jesus, No!

The whimpering stops.

JOKER

You have half an hour (he says calm and smoothly)

BATMAN jumps out the window as Jokers laugh echos through the halls.

EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM

BATMAN swoops down and lands in front of JOKER. JOKER'S eyes are totally white with the pupils constricted unnaturally. His hair green and slicked back and his classic red smile stretching from cheek to cheek, literally, displaying his yellow tar stained teeth.

BATMAN

Release the hostages.

JOKER

You heard him folks! Hit the trail! Bye Pearl. Let's do it again sometime!

BATMAN But what about her eyes? You said...

JOKER APRIL FOOOOOOLS. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

JOKER makes his way over to the big steel doors of Arkham Asylum. Swinging them open, he stands in the door way with his arms pressing on both the doors.

JOKER

Cheer up honey pie!

BATMAN begins to walk through the doors. JOKER takes a hold his arm, BATMAN'S facial expression changes from being fierce to disgust. JOKER senses that change and tries to cheer him up in the best way he can.

INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM

JOKER

Listen, how many brittle bone babies does it take to...

BATMAN Shut up.

JOKER pulls away and stops walking down the dusty corridors.

JOKER OOOOOOoooohh. Mr touchy are we?

BATMAN gives him a glare.

JOKER

Loosen up sweetheart.

JOKER places his hand on BATMAN'S shoulder. BATMAN rips himself away from the JOKER.Cut to close up shots of both of their faces. WIDE ANGLE shot of the two of them.

BATMAN

Get your filthy hands off me!

JOKER

What's the matter, have I touched a nerve? How is the boy wonder? Started shaving yet?

BATMAN

Filthy degenerate!

JOKER Flattery will get you nowhere. You're in the real world now and the lunatics have taken over the Asylum.

CUT TO close up shot of JOKER'S grimy hands pushing open swinging doors. The shot reveals a room full of drawings of coloured chalk drawings. Along the walls are barrels of gunpowder and bullets. Dynamite is scattered across the floor. Men an women lay around the floors and tables mumbling and cackling quietly.

JOKER April sweet is coming in... (he sings)

LET THE FEAST OF FOOOLS BEGIN!!

JOKER'S laugh echos through the building. The other inmates join is as they crowd around BATMAN. They crawl over him strapping him to a chair. CUT TO over head shot of the crowd over BATMAN. JOKER lights a cigarette takes one drag and drops the still lit blunt into a pile of gunpowder. I small fire lights and then burns out shortly. When the fire goes out JOKER begins to laugh again but hysterically.

His laugh echos and echos and the camera slowly backs its way out of the building and out the the street. Flying up to reveal the building and the rain. The camera pans over to a patch of sky where the Bat symbol is shining. The screen then suddenly changes to black

To be continued.... (runs across the screen)